Dispensing screw-type closure cap



Feb. 27, 1968 STULL 3,370,764

DISPENSING SCREW-TYPE CLOSURE CAP filed Dec. 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. Movbon B. Eacukb M. B. STULL DISPENSING SCREW-TYPE CLOSURE CAP2 Sheets-Sheet Feb. 27, 1968 INVENTOR.

mor on B. StulL United States Patent 3,370,764 DISPENSING SCREW-TYPECLOSURE CAP Morton B. Stull, Boonton, N.J., Stull Engraving Co., 221223Banta Ave., Garfield, NJ. 07026) Filed Dec. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 605,65413 Claims. (Cl. 222-499) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A simplifieddispensing closure cap construction having a tubular body through whichthe product passes, and having an orificed screw cap axially movable onthe body between a raised dispensing position and a lowered sealingposition. The upper edge of the tubular body has a curved upper surfaceof helical inclination, engageable with a cooperable surface of slopedconfiguration in the cap, to provide for positive axial raising movementof the cap when it is turned in unscrewing direction.

Cross references (1) U.S. application Serial No. 511,593, now Patent No.3,319,843, filed Dec. 6, 1965 by Morton B. Stull and entitled CaptiveClosure Cap Construction.

(2) U.S. Patent No. 3,216,630.

(3) Copending application of Morton B. Stull, Ser. No. 605,805 filedDec. 29, 1966 and entitled Dispensing Closure Cap.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to dispensing screw-type closure capswherein a stationary body holds captive a screw cap which has thedischarge orifice.

In some prior closure caps of the type referred to, the axial movementof the screw cap as the latter is turned is efiected solely by screwthreads. Where the cap is of yieldable plastic and is used with a glueproduct or the like, it is not uncommon for the threads to strip pasteach other and fail in their function and for the glue to collect andharden in pockets, clogging the passages and rendering the cap anddispenser useless.

Other closure caps utilize a supplemental inclined or helical tracksurface at the base of the body, which is cooperable with lugs on thecap to effect a forceful axial or raising movement as the cap is.turned. This, while efiFective, obtains the desired result at theexpense of an increase in diameter of the screw cap and body.

SUMMARY The present invention obviates the above disadvantages, andobjects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved, especiallysimple, dispensing screw-type captive closure cap construction whereininterior, product-collecting pockets are largely eliminated, wherein awiper and displacement action removes residual product which mightharden and later. cause difficulty, and wherein a positive raisingmovement of the cap is had in response to its being turned in theunscrewing direction, all without requiring an enabling increase in thecap diameter. This is accomplished by forming the top edge of thetubular body portion itself with at least one and preferably two uppersurfaces of helical inclination, and by forming, inside the top of thescrew cap, cooperable surfaces which are engageable with the surfaces ofhelical inclination to force the cap axially upward when it isunscrewed, and to wipe clean the helical surface and displace theproduct therefrom, and from adjoining areas. Since the helical surfacestake the place of the prior circular unbroken top edge, no increase inthe diameter of the cap is required.

Other objects and advantages are to provide an improved cap constructionas above, wherein the surfaces of helical inclination and stop membersare especially adapted to facilitate drainback of product into thecontainer after each use, wherein improved movement limiting stops areprovided to fix the extent of turning of the cap, wherein the limitingstops are arranged to minimize difiiculty when a push-on type ofassembly of the cap to the body is utilized, wherein effective sealingmeans are had between the cap and the body, wherein means are providedto trap a small quantity of the product for lubricant purposes where theproduct has such characteristic, wherein a yieldable locking of the capto the body is effected for the closed position of the cap, and whereinthe construction involves a minimum number of plastic parts which can beeasily molded.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view through a dispensing cap constructionas provided by the invention. The screw cap part is shown lowered and inthe closed position.

FIG. 2 is a view like that of FIG. 1, but showing the screw cap part inthe raised, dispensing position.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the cap construction of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in side elevation and partly invertical section, showing the upper portion of the body part of the capconstruction.

FIG. 5 is a view like that of FIG. 4, taken at right angles to the planeof the FIG. 4 view.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the body part shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an axial sectional view through a dispensing cap construction,illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the body part of the cap construction ofFIG. 8.

FiG. 10 is a side elevational view of the body part shown in FIGS. 8 and9.

The improved cap construction as provided by the invention comprises atubular body part 10 having a base portion 12, a lower tubular portion14 and an upper tubular portion 16 of slightly smaller diameter than thelower portion 14. The body part 10 may constitute an integral permanentportion of the top of a container. Or, it may comprise a screw cap (orother type cap) which is constituted as a separate piece, and isattached to the container either permanently or temporarily. The baseportion 12 may be thought of as the top wall of the screw cap, forexample. The tubular portion 14 has one or more external screw threads18, which are engageable with cooperable internal screw threads 20 of acap part 22 having generally the shape of an inverted cup.

The cap part 22 is axially movable on the body 10 in response to itsbeing turned, this being effected by the cooperable screw threads 18, 20as will be understood. In its top wall 24 the cap 22 has a dischargeorifice 26, and the body 10 carries a cooperable stopper meanscomprising a closure pin 28 which is adapted to close and seal theorifice 26 as illustrated in FIG. 1. When the cap 22 is in the raised,dispensing position the pin 28 is out of the orifice 26 whereby thelatter may discharge product which is being forced upward through thetubular body 10.

It will be noted that the cap 22 is not greatly larger in diameter thanthe body portions 14, 16, the difference being due to the cooperablescrew threads 18, and to the cap wall thickness. Thus, the outsidediameter of the cap construction can be held to a relatively smallfigure which is determined in large part by the required diameter of thebore of the body, through which the product is forced.

In accordance with the present invention, positive-acting means areprovided to insure upward axial movement of the cap 22 when it is turnedin the unscrewing direction, even though considerable restraint isplaced on the a cap against such movement, as by a viscous product, a

gluetype product or the like, and even though such prod uct may havehardened on the interior surfaces of the cap construction. The saidmeans do not require any increase in the outside diameter of the capconstruction whatsoever, yet are extremely effective in causing the cappart 22 to moveaxially upward when it is unscrewed.

In accomplishing this, the upper tubular portion 16 of the body 19 isprovided on its upper edge with at least one curved, inclined uppersurface 34 and preferably, as shown in the figures, with two suchsurfaces 34. The surfaces 34 have a generally helical inclination, andthis term is used herein in a non-restrictive sense, being intended todenote any slope, curvature or inclination of the surfaces 34 ofscrew-like nature. For cooperation with the curved upper edge surfaces34 of the body 10, the cap part 22 has in its upper portion at least onedownwardly facing surface 36, and preferably two such surfaces 36 whichare respectively engageable with the inclined surfaces 34. Preferably,the surfaces 34 have a pitch which is equal to that of the cooperablescrew threads 18, 20 of the body and cap, and the surfaces 36 of the capride on the inclined surfaces 34 as the cap is guided by the screwthreads 18, 20 during the unscrewing operation. The downwardly-facingsurfaces 36 of the cap are preferably the bottom surfaces of inwardlydisposed, vertically extending lugs 38 in the cap, said lugs havingsloping side faces or bevels 40 as seen in FIG. 7. As seen in FIG. 1,the downwardly facing surfaces 36' of the lugs 38 are in the nature ofundercuts when viewing the lugs 38 from the inside out as in FIG. 7. Thesurfaces36 may be considered as following a helical curve correspondingto the curve set out by the surfaces 34 of the body 10.

Further, the surfaces 34 are sloped transversely, Whereby their highestportions arelocated radially outermost. This is clearly seen in FIGS. 4and 5, and such configuration of the surfaces 34 enables a close fit tobe had with the undersurfaces 36 of the lugs 38 which, as alreadymentioned, may be considered as giving the lugs an undercutconfiguration. The transverse slope of the inclined surfaces 34 providesa distinct advantage in that it tends to facilitate drainback of theproduct into the container after each use.'In connection with suchdrainback, the stopper means comprising the pin 28 carried by the body10 is supported by a pair of diametrically opposite support webs 42having bottom edges 44 which are located above the level of thelowermost portions of the tracks or inclined surfaces 34. This isclearly seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5. In consequence there is nolikelihood of pockets being formed by the support webs 42 in conjunctionwith the inclined surfaces 34, and this is an important feature of theinvention.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that thelugs 38 are resting at thelowerends of the inclined tracks 34. As the screw cap 22 is turned inthe unscrewing direction, the lugs 38 will traverse the tracks 34through a total path of slightly less than 180, forcibly raising the cap22 despite any restraint which might be placed on it. Such actionprevents stripping of the cooperable yieldable threads 18, 20, andovercomes any tendency for hardened product, glue or the like, to causemalfunctioning of the cap construction. Additionally, the movement ofthe lugs 38 along the tracks '34 is characterized by a wiping action,

whereby the tracks are wiped clean and the product which is wiped off iseither discharged from the orifice 26 or returned to the container. Asimilar but reverse wiping action occurs when the cap 22 is screwed downto the stop-' pered position of FIG. 1 from the dispensing position ofFIG. 2.

Additionally, an important feature of the invention involves thedisplacing action which occurs when the side faces 40 of the stop lugs38 engage the cooperable side faces 69, 62 of the stop lugs 58. Withsuch engagement the product is squeezed or displaced from the stop lugsand into the bore 30 of the body 14, to return to the container. Thecollecting of product in pockets inside of the cap structure is thuslargely eliminated, and this is an extremely important considerationwhen the product is glue or other substance having a tendency to hardenand stick.

Also, in accordance with the invention, the cap 22 has an innercylindrical surface 46 which is continually in optionally may beprovided with a small sealing bead 50 at the bottom edge of thecylindrical portion 46, if it is desired that a very small amount of theproduct should be trapped between the cylindrical surfaces 46 and 48.This is of advantage where the product is of a creeping or lubricatingnature. The cap 22 also has an annular sealing surface 52 which iscooperable with a sealing bead 54 of the body for the closed position ofthe cap construction as shown in FIG. 1. An additional bead 56 isprovided at the bottom of the sealing surface 52, for coopera tion withthe bead 54 of the body, to. releasably lock or detain the cap 22 in theclosed position of FIG. 1. j

.The yieldability of the molded plastiebody 10 and cap 22 play a part inthe functioning of the beads 50, 54 and 56 as will be understood, thisbeing also true of the sealing engagement between the pin 28 and orifice26. In accordance with the invention, the lugs 38 are adapted tofunction as positive, failure-resistant stops- Which limit the downwardturning movement of the cap 22 and also the upward turning movement ofthe cap.'In effecting this, the invention provides coopenable stopshoulders or lugs 58 on the upper edge of the body portion 16, which areengageable respectively with the lugs 38 in the cap. The stop lugs 58are disposed at't-hejunctures of the high and low portions ofthe tracks34, as clearly seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, and thus areadapted to engage thelugs 32 for both the lowered and the raised positions of the cap 22 asshown. For the raised position of the cap 22, side surfaces 60 of thelugs or shoulders-58 are engaged by the side surfaces 40 on the lugs 38.For the lower position of the cap 22, side surfaces 62 of the shoulders58 are engaged with side surfaces 40 of the lugs 38. Such constructionprovides a positive stop means which is resistant to a considerableextent to failure even if appreciable force is applied to the cap 22 inthe screwing or unscrewing directions.

Due to the yieldability and rounded shapes of the co operable threadelements 18, 20 thecap 22 maybe as sembled to the body 10 by a push-0noperation wherein the cap is merely axially forced over the bodyportions 14, 16. In order to minimize any difficulty in such assembly,in the case where the lugs 38 may by chance be aligned with the lugs 58,thelatter are provided with sloping top surfaces 64 which can cooperatewith the sloped downwardly facing surfaces 36 of the lugs 38 to cause aturning movement of the'cap 22 as it is being pushed downward.Accordingly, for all possiblestarting positions of the cap 22, a push-onassembly will result in the cap being forcibly turned and brought intothe lowermost sealing position of FIG. 1.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10,wherein the outer screw cap part has a total turning movement ofslightly less than 360 as compared with the 180 movement of the previousembodiment.

As shown, there is a tubular body part 68 having a single helical topedge 70 characterized by lower and higher end portions 72, 74respectively which are separated by an upstanding stop lug 76. Thetubular body part 68 has radial ribs 78 supporting a closure pin 80which is cooperable with the top orifice portion 82 of an outer screwcap part 84. The screw cap 84 has a single internal stop lug 86 adaptedto ride on the helical top edge 70 of the tubular body 68, said stop lug86 being engageable with either one side or the other of the stop lug 76of the tubular body 68.

In essentially all other respects, the cap construction of FIGS. 810 issimilar to that already described in connection with the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-7, and accordingly further description is not given herein.Essentially the main difference between the embodiment of FIGS. 8-l0 andthe preceding embodiment consists in the greater turning movement of thescrew cap 84, as compared with the screw cap 22. Whereas the screw cap22 has a turning movement of slightly less than 180, the screw cap 84has a total turning movement of slightly less than 360.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that I have provided anovel and improved plastic cap construction of the captive closure-type,wherein a positive raising movement of the cap results from its beingunscrewed even though the cooperable screw thread means are of a natureto permit easy stripping of the threads in the event of restraint beingimposed. The positive raising movement of the cap is had withoutinvolving any additional diametric size, and the means providing raisingmovement is additionally utilized to provide positive stops for limitingthe screwing and unscrewing movement of the cap. Effective sealingsurfaces are provided between the cap and body, as well as an impositivelock for holding the cap releasably in the sealing position. Means areprovided to minimize difi'iculty where a push-on assembly of the cap isutilized, and the construction is seen to involve a minimum number ofparts, each of which may be easily and readily molded of suitableplastic substance. Accordingly, the cost of the closure construction isheld to a low figure while at the same time distinct advantages are hadas enumerated above.

With the present construction it is possible to achieve a relativelylarge diameter of passage for the product, while at the same timemaintaining the smallest outside diameter. A small outside diameter isadvantageous because it can adapt to the smallest possible base.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims,and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A dispensing closure cap construction comprising, in combination:

(a) an upright tubular body adapted to be carried on a container, thebore of said body constituting a discharge passage for product to bedispensed from the container,

(b) a cap axially movable on said body and surrounding the same,

(c) said cap having in its top portion a discharge orifice,

(d) cooperable stopper means on said tubular body and cap, said stoppermeans being closed to prevent flow of product from the cap when thelatter is in a lower position on the body, said means being open whenthe cap is in a raised position, wherein the improvement comprises:

(e) the upper edge of the body comprising a curved upper surface havinga helical inclination,

(f) said cap having in its upper portion a downwardly facing surfacecooperable with the inclined surface of the body to shift the cap fromthe lower to the raised position in response to its being turned,thereby to open the stopper means.

2. A cap construction as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the tubular body has an exterior cylindrical surface,

(b) said cap having an interior cylindrical surface engaged at all timeswith the cylindrical surface of the body whereby a continual seal is hadat all times between the body and cap.

3. A cap construction as in claim 2, wherein:

(a) the interior cylindrical surface of the cap has a small annular beadengaged with the exterior cylindrical surface of the body.

4. A cap construction as in claim 2, wherein:

(a) the body has an exterior annular bead,

(b) said cap having an interior annular groove adapted to receive saidhead of the body when the cap is in said lower position, to releasablylock the cap therein.

S. A cap construction as in claim 2, wherein:

(a) the body has an exterior annular bead below its exterior cylindricalsurface,

(b) said cap having an annular interior sealing surface engaged withsaid bead when the cap is in said lower position to eifect an additionalseal between the body and cap.

6. A cap construction as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) cooperable screw threaded means are provided on the body and cap,having the same pitch as the inclined surface of the body, said screwmeans effecting upward and downward axial movement of the cap inresponse to its being turned respectively in opposite directions,

(b) said inclined surface of the body and cooperable surface of the capconstituting a positive axial drive which prevents stripping of thethread means when the cap experiences restraint against raising movementas it is being turned.

7. A cap construction as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the inclined surface of the body and cooperable surface of the capare sloped transversely and have their highest portions located radiallyoutermost.

8. A cap construction as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the cap has stop shoulders and the body has cooperable stopshoulders at the ends of its inclined'surface,

(b) said shoulders limiting turning of the cap in one direction.

9. A cap construction as in claim 8, wherein:

(a) the stop shoulders of the body have sloped top surfaces of helicalinclination similar to the helical inclination of the upper edge of thebody,

(b) the stop shoulders of the cap having sloped lower surfaces ofsimilar helical inclination whereby engagement of said top and lowersurfaces during a push-on assembly of the cap to the body will tend toturn the cap so as to effect disengagement between said surfaces of theshoulders.

10. A cap construction as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the cap has stop shoulders and the body has cooperable stopshoulders at the ends of its inclined surface,

(b) said shoulders limiting both clockwise and counterclockwise turningof the cap.

11. A cap construction as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the body has a pair of said inclined surfaces located indiametrically opposite locations, and the cap has a pair of cooperablesurfaces respectively engaging said inclined surfaces.

12. A cap construction as in claim 11, wherein:

(a) the body has stop shoulders at the ends of the inclined surfaces,and the cap has shoulders engageable respectively with said stopshoulders to limit turning of the cap in at least one direction,

(b) said cooperable stopper means comprising a pin carried by anddisposed centrally in the body, and

(0) support webs for the pin, extending outward therefrom in oppositedirections and connecting with the interior of said stop shoulders ofthe body.

13. A cap construction as in claim 12, wherein:

(a) the lowest portions of the inclined surfaces of the body are closelyadjacent, and at a lower level than, the bottom edges of the supportwebs to facilitate drainback of product from said surfaces.

Refer n es Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,059,821 10/1962 Kubiliunas 222521 STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner.

